Sustainability Publications

2015

China's leaders have strengthened regulations in an aggressive show of commitment to improving the environmental conditions. Multinational corporations in China will be targeted most to comply—this report details what to expect.

China's strong commitment to cleaning up pollution and changing the way business operates with regard to the environment means that chief financial officers of multinational corporations operating in China must be hypervigilant about sustainability costs.

As China's regulatory landscape changes to combat environmental degradation, special skills will be needed to not only set the organization up for success in compliance, but to do so while weathering slow economic growth and competition for top talent.

Key findings from the Sustainability Practices Dashboard 2015, the comprehensive database and online benchmarking tool that captures the most recent environmental and social practices by large public companies globally.

Addressing supply chain risk and sustainability in isolation may put a firm at considerable risk. Companies should pursue strategies that recognize that supply chain risk and sustainability are inextricably intertwined.

While established evidence shows that bad corporate environmental news is punished by the market, emerging evidence shows that, in some instances, superior environmental performance may also be punished.

Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies are becoming increasingly important. This report details eight steps for developing such strategies and provides examples of companies that have done so.

Brand recognition and reputation are among the most valuable intangible assets of any company. In turn, sustainability initiatives have the potential to significantly impact corporate brand and reputation.

2013

A good understanding of the link between human capital and sustainability can help company directors identify how investing in the right sustainability programs can drive significant improvements in human capital.

Spending on corporate social responsibility (CSR) doesn’t automatically create economic value. Executives who understand when and how to deploy responsible practices, however, can use CSR to improve their bottom line.

Leaders in the field share insights for focusing sustainability efforts with key performance indicators, building the function within an organization, and expressing the value of sustainability in business terms.

In 2012, in terms of relative environmental footprint, the sector with the smallest footprint was the financials sector; the sectors with the largest environmental footprints were materials, utilities, and energy.

Many past sustainability business case analyses have not effectively incorporated key financial value drivers into the discussion. Companies should consider a framework to link environmental actions to financial value drivers.

The overall decline in perceived performance of sustainability initiatives for two-thirds of companies in a recent study may be the result of rising skepticism about the benefits of sustainability programs.

The context of global giving is changing. Investment, not philanthropy, is the preferred terminology and approach internationally, as this snapshot of the state of global corporate philanthropy illustrates.

How are companies addressing what they have defined as their corporate sustainability responsibilities? This report provides an answer through a multifaceted examination of current sustainability practices.

In a reflection of ongoing corporate efforts to define and achieve sustainability goals, real performance on sustainability is rising. On the other hand, stakeholders’ perceptions about organizations’ performance are declining.

2012

This report looks at the potential benefits of demonstrating good environmental, social, and governance performance and discusses five traits of companies that excel in the operational and communication dimensions of sustainability.

This report presents an analysis of 94 sustainability reports published by
Canadian corporations in 10 sectors. The results reveal incredible diversity in
the performance indicators disclosed, both across and within sectors.

This report looks at shareholder proposals on environmental issues that were voted during the 2012 proxy season to determine which issues were most often brought to boards and which received the greatest support from shareholders.

In FY2010, companies in the telecommunications services and utilities sectors were most likely to release sustainability reports, while companies in the materials sector were least likely to offer comprehensive disclosure.

This report examines the nature, benefits, and shortcomings of existing
multistakeholder corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards, and it
discusses how businesses can better coordinate their participation in a variety
of initiatives.

How companies manage risk, opportunity, and scarcity today will determine the long-term value they create for stakeholders and society, and the world’s dwindling water resources are a pivotal case in point.

This report discusses efforts by some companies to incorporate sustainability
performance into executive compensation schemes, and provides an overview of
recent shareholder proposals filed on this topic.

This report documents some of the potential bottom-line benefits to companies of being attentive to CSR: reducing cost and risk, gaining competitive advantage, developing and maintaining legitimacy and reputational capital, and achieving win-win outcomes

This report discusses what to communicate (i.e., message content) and where (i.e., message channel), as well as the major factors (internal and external to the organization) that affect the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility communication.

This report, which is based on the analysis of 163 articles from the most relevant empirical literature on the subject, offers a number of practical recommendations to business leaders embarking in CSR programs for their companies.

The challenge for companies is how to make sustainability-centric approaches deliver not only on the financial bottom line but also on a broader platform of ecological and social accountabilities and goals that make up the sustainability blend.

2008

Companies that go “green” and promote those efforts must be informed on the environmental impacts of all processes throughout a product’s lifecycle and commit to transparency in marketing and advertising.

Small and mid-size companies are finding that expanding corporate citizenship and sustainability programs is a smart business decision that can enhance public image and do good even with limited resources.

As the public becomes increasingly concerned with health, safety, and the environment, companies are adopting new approaches and involving stakeholders in more open, transparent, and constructive dialogues.

2005

Moving the World, a partnership between the international company TNT and the United Nations, shows how two organizations can combine strengths to make a difference ?and increase competitiveness and reputation.

Businesses today are more focused on “managing” energy than at any other time in recent decades. However, are business opportunities being missed because many companies are approaching energy management in an unsystematic fashion, or not at all?

2003

For business to adopt an enhanced corporate responsibility strategy and expect to realize short-term business benefits in the face of long-term global needs is likely unrealistic. This report explains why it is still important to develop such a strategy.

2002

This report, based on the views and experiences of corporate managers of citizenship programs, CEOs, and board members at over 700 companies, examines the state of global corporate citizenship practices, expectations, and trends.

This report argues that while science is unlikely to provide unequivocal answers to the debate, governments and markets are likely to act on their perception of the science--actions which will have an impact on global business.

Environmental management systems are not new, and most companies report having had an EMS before 1996. Nevertheless, ISO 14001 has promoted a more systematic approach and created a common EMS vocabulary.

1999

The parameters of sound corporate citizenship have moved beyond traditional monetary grants to encompass concerns such as sustainable development, human rights, and the quality of life needs of outside constituencies.